“If we all do our part, we can start to turn the corner on this, but it’s going to take everyone’s involvement” – Patrick Kennedy, Founder of the Kennedy Foundation
Patrick Kennedy’s words rang loud and strong throughout the New Hampshire Town Hall as he gave his closing remarks at Unite for Mental Health event. His call to unite for mental health was a very fitting way to end the night—a night that was filled with diverse perspectives, stories, and lived experiences.
We heard from Sarah True, a two-time Olympian and triathlete, about her journey with mental health through sport. We heard from Matthew Francis, a trans rights activist, who shared his story of resilience as he overcame many mental health challenges. We heard from Judge Steven Leifman, a Miami-Dade associate administrative judge, about his extraordinary efforts to bring about reforms to the criminal justice system for those who need mental health treatment. We heard from Deval Patrick, a 2020 presidential candidate, who opened up about his very personal family connection to mental health.
We heard from people with such different backgrounds, with such different stories, and with such different perspectives. But they all came together with one message: we need to unite for mental health.
“We have to do something, but it’s going to take everyone doing their part. That’s the real answer to all of this; it’s all of our problem and we have to handle it together” – Patrick Kennedy
It’s going to take everyone. Health does not discriminate. It affects the young, the old, the rich, the poor, and everyone in between. And mental health is no exception. Nearly everyone knows someone who has been affected by mental health issues or is dealing with them him or herself.
So why is it so important for us to be united in this cause? In his closing remarks, Kennedy brought up a good point about how our country “spends one fifth of what we spent on HIV/AIDS and it takes twice as many lives,” as he discussed the importance of taking a public health approach to mental health. In my Global Health class at Princeton, we actually talked a lot about the HIV/AIDS movement and what made it so successful in bringing about change. We witnessed how intense public demand, led by passionate advocates, created a political will that was able to catalyze an extraordinary public health movement against AIDS. It was a testament to the power of the people.
And now it’s time that we do the same for mental health–both for the 2020 elections and beyond. #UniteforMentalHealth
